Stars sweep aside Barons

Justin Dowling broke a 2-2 tie with 8:39 left in regulation and the Texas Stars went on to a 4-2 win over the Oklahoma City Barons at Cedar Park Center on Wednesday, completing a three-game sweep of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.

The Stars, the AHL’s regular-season points champions, are the first team to advance to the second round of the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs.

Brendan Ranford, whose overtime goal gave Texas a win in Game 2, opened Wednesday’s scoring 7:16 into the game, and Chris Mueller — in his first game back with the Stars after being reassigned from Dallas — made it 2-0 early in the second period.

But the Barons, who won three games last postseason when facing elimination, drew even on a shorthanded goal by Anton Lander at 8:54 of the second and a marker by Brad Hunt at 3:24 of the third.

Dowling’s winner came with the Stars skating on a 5-on-3 power play. Scott Glennie then iced the series with an empty-net goal at the 19:00 mark.